Local Flavor: A Vermont flavored crème brûlée recipe

This is one of my favorite desserts of all time. When this is made right, and the custard is light and the sugar on top is super crispy, it is amazing. I tend to use less sugar with the maple drizzle on top, or it becomes too sweet for me. This is one of those recipes that after you make it once or twice it will be very easy for you. The other reason I like it is I can make dessert a day ahead and not worry about it when I have people over for dinner.

Shawn Calley is the executive chef at Amuse at The Essex Resort and Spa. His column, Local Flavor, appears weekly.

Maple Crème Brûlée

6 servings

1 quart heavy cream

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

4 tablespoons of maple syrup

6 large egg yolks

¼ cup of sugar

3 cups water

Fruit for the top

Maple syrup to drizzle on top

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees.

Put the cream, vanilla and cinnamon in a small sauce pot, bring to a simmer and remove from heat. In a medium mixing bowl add the six egg yolks, maple and the sugar. Whisk until the sugar is incorporated with the egg yolks (you also want to whisk in some air to the egg yolks so they are a little fluffy). Now slowly add the cream, whisking as you go (to fast and you will have some scrambled eggs). Continue whisking until all the cream is incorporated.

In a sauce pan bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Take your 8-ounce ramekins and place them in a cake pan. Pour the creme brulee mixture into the ramekins. Carefully place the cake pan in the oven with the rack pulled out so you can fill the cake pan with the boiling water until the ramekins are ¾ of the way covered. Now slowly push the rack into the oven, try not to splash the water into the ramekins. Bake for 45 minutes remove from oven and refrigerate for two to three hours.

When you are ready to serve, pull out of oven 10 minutes prior and let sit at room temperature.

Cover the top with a thin layer of sugar and use a torch to melt the sugar until it is a dark caramel color. The key to this is moving the torch so that one spot does not get too dark. Allow to sit for a few minutes then add fruit of your choice on top and a drizzle of maple syrup.